Tongue Tied
by Insiss
Summary: Da'kesh and Ki'ete are brothers that try to make the best of things in a rough world. This little story is just something simple and cute I wrote once. Story is better than summary. Give it a chance. Oneshot, please Read and Review. :


**Disclaimer: I do not own AVP or Predator. The only thing I own are the characters and story. **

**Vocab:**

**Dt: A type of tree.**

**Nok: A unit of measurement, approximately 12 inches. **

**Zabin: A type of bug.**

**Aseigan: Slave.**

**If I missed any let me know. **

**This is just a story I found in one of my old binders that I had written a long time ago. I had been experimenting with the two brothers and how they would interact. Just a little bit of background to my characters. It was cute and I still like it so I figured I'd post it. It's old so please no crits. Read and review and please: Enjoy! :)**

**Tongue Tied**

Da'kesh crouched low, ducking behind brush and dodging between trees until he came upon his prey. It was sitting in the shade of a large dt, exhausted be lessons from the hour before. He watched as his brother threw a rock in the small body of water, his expression dour. As an albino he was picked on often by his peers and teachers, and this day hadn't been an especially good one.

Da'kesh's mission was simple: Get his brother to laugh. Willingly or by force it didn't matter, it was all the same to the young Yautja. And so the pup crept closer to his younger sibling until he was nearly touching him. Then with a deep breath he leaped into plain sight with a mighty roar. Though to an adult it was an humble sound, to a pup of nine seasons it was startling, and to a pup of four, it was horrifying.

With a squeal Ki'ete flew from his spot and tripped, just missing the pond. Da'kesh rolled, trilling and giggling. Ki'ete merely stood with a frown and dusted himself off, glaring evilly at his floored, laughing brother.

"It'th NOT funny!!!"

"Is so! You flew nearly three noks off the ground!" Da'kesh said proudly. He was truly the only one who could sneak up on his brother unnoticed.

"Leathe me awone," Ki'ete mumbled as he began to walk home.

Da'kesh frowned in thought. Failure was under no circumstances acceptable, and so…

"EEK!" Trills of uncontrollable laughter burst from Ki'ete as Da'kesh tickled every vulnerable spot he knew of, laughing in victory.

"Dak'ky! Th-thtop!" he said between giggles. Unfortunately for him it was hard to be convincing whilst laughing in fits. And so the torture continued until Ki'ete gained enough footing and placed his knee squarely into his brother's chest.

"Dak'ky! Momma thaid to don't!" He yelled desperately, pushing his brother to the ground. He then plopped down on his behind, completely exhausted, both still giggling quietly.

After about ten minutes, Da'kesh stood and stretched, then offered a hand up to the other pup. Ki'ete looked skeptically from his brother's outstretched hand, to his face, and back again.

"What? Don't you trust me?" the older said with a knowing grin, which turned to devilish laughter after about three seconds. Ki'ete smiled and grabbed the waiting hand, pulling himself to his feet, only to stumble awkwardly.

"Race ya!" Da'kesh said, pushing him.

Ki'ete hesitated as he regained his balance, then pushed him back, getting a head start.

"Latht one there ith a Zabin!!" he yelled over his shoulder. Da'kesh scrambled to catch up.

"What's base?" he asked the little white blur beside him.

"Uumm…" he said, looking for a victim. "Da'ay!" he said, pointing to a large adult male, who had just rounded the corner, prompting them both to burst into giggles.

As they neared home they pushed and shoved their way, fighting to be the one to reach "base" first, oblivious to the group of strangers in their front yard. By a stroke of luck, Ki'ete reached his father first as Da'kesh stumbled on a root, falling just at his feet. He grumbled as he stood, brushing himself off, glancing at his smug brother as the albino clung to his father's leg.

"Zabin…" Ki'ete spat playfully. Da'kesh replied with an outstretched tongue, only to be slapped over the back of the head by the towering adult that stood between him. He looked up in protest.

"He started it!" he said pointing at his sibling.

"Well you lotht." Ki'ete said.

"I tripped!"

"That'th your fault…"

"Fine, I didn't lose… I… came in second." Da'kesh stated. Failure was _never_ an option; especially when it came to his little brother.

Ki'ete had, by this time, moved confidently from behind his father's protective form to face his opponent boldly, arms crossed smugly. "Fine. But thecond plathe ith jutht the firtht lother." He replied, and was slapped squarely over the back of the head by his father.

Unfamiliar chuckles startled the two into noticing the three strangers, with whom their father had been conversing. "Enough you two," hissed their sire. They instantly quieted as the adults began to converse once more.

"Interesting pups you have there Xanthos."

"I apologize Tal'farr. With their mother passed and me gone constantly their attitudes have become horrible," he rumbled.

"Nonsense. They're pups Xanthos. Let them be," the stranger, now dubbed Tal'farr, replied.

"If I may?" a younger warrior asked. He was a deep maroon color that faded to cream in places.

"Yes, Rai'tu?" Xanthos replied hesitantly, fearing what was to be asked, sure that it concerned his youngest.

"Not to be rude sir… but what is wrong with the little one's speech?"

Xanthos glanced down at Ki'ete with an inaudible sigh. "He is tongue-tied, which causes his speech to be faulty."

"Interesting… I could… fix that." Rai'tu replied.

"Really? How so?" he marveled hopefully.

"Rai'tu is training for medical and is rather far along in his studies," Tal'farr stated.

"When could this be done?" Xanthos wondered, barely containing his excitement; to think that his son could finally speak properly.

"Now if you wish it sir," Rai'tu replied.

"Please! That would be wonderful!"

With a respectful nod Rai'tu moved forward. "I will need a glass of water…" he stated as he dug a pill from one of the many pockets in his belt.

"Ki'ete…" Xanthos said, looking down at the addressed, who in turn looked at his brother.

"Dak'ky…"

Da'kesh looked at his brother incredulously. "What am I to you? Your aseigan?!"

Ki'ete grinned. "Do you reallwy want me to anthwer that?"

"Ki'ete!" Xanthos barked.

"Yethir!" he yelped in reply as he darted into their dwelling for the requested item.

Once he was out of earshot, the three visiting burst into laughter as Xanthos shook his head disdainfully.

"Not lacking in wit, is he Xanthos?" chuckled the thus-far silent Kaie.

"That he isn't. Sometimes I wonder if that is a blessing or a curse…"

"Probably both," Rai'tu chuckled, as they all turned to watch the returning pup.

Ki'ete trotted toward them, his green eyes on the glass as he tried desperately not to spill the sloshing liquid, much to the amusement of everyone. Once there he lifted the cup as high as he could to the seven foot medic. With a grin Rai'tu took it and dropped in the pill. Once it dissolved he handed the glass back to the child. He kneeled on one knee and instructed the pup to swish the now purple liquid around in his mouth for five seconds then spit it out, allowing the pain killer to take effect. There was silence as Ki'ete did as he was told and then set the empty container aside.

"You may want to hold him down, just in case," Rai'tu informed the anxious father.

Xanthos nodded and knelt down, sitting the boy on his knee as the medic pulled some small surgical scissors from his pocket.

"Open your mouth and lift your tongue up as far as you can," he said to the pup.

Ki'ete did as he was told, closing his eyes in fear and anticipation. Da'kesh moved in close in interest and the others looked on patiently. All Ki'ete heard was a couple of snips and felt a slight tug as stitches were set in place. Before he knew it, the minor operation was done.

He blinked a couple of times and stuck out his tongue experimentally, looking down at it.

"Gruesome…" Da'kesh commented, making a face.

The white pup grinned and looked at Da'kesh.

"Wussy…" he spat, getting his head slapped.

"Now you two get out of here so we can get to business," Xanthos said warmly. The brothers looked at each other with mutual grins.

"Race ya…" said the older.

"I'll win again…"

"Whatever." And with that the took off.

"HEY!" Ki'ete called back to Rai'tu, turning around. "Thanks!" He smiled and turned to try and beat his brother to the next destination.


End file.
